Moonrise
by Sleeping Moon
Summary: AU. Pressured to excel in academics by her mother Tsukino Usagi is a timid student who is not allowed to socialize with classmates after school and has to study every day. But when the introverted blonde is given a chance to break out her self-imposed shell as a Guardian of Justice called Sailor Moon, will she take it? Mamoru/Usagi.
1. Chapter 1

With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of **Sailor Moon**. I would to thank _ncisduckie_ for inspiring and helping me write my own contribution to this fantastic manga series after I had read her story _Not A Crybaby_. The setting will take place of _Moonrise_ in the 1990s when the manga was published, but will have visual references from the 2014 anime series. I hope you will enjoy reading this segment!

* * *

"Usagi, wake up."

Those three little words were spoken every morning before the shrill bell of alarm clock echoed in the sparse bedroom. Bright blue eyes blinked once, then twice until fourteen-year-old Tsukino Usagi rose from the futon and saw a willowy woman staring down at her with an irritated expression. Even though she outwardly appeared calm and collected, the teenager knew that today was going to be another day. Another day sitting in class and another day of not being good enough to exceed Tsukino Ikuko's academic standards.

"Well? Are you going to get moving?"

Usagi blinked at her mother with subtle annoyance as she responded with nimble fingers moving across the air in concise directions. _Yes. Please give me some time._ Today would be the third time this week that the wavy-haired homemaker would insist on hovering around Usagi to make sure that she did something else besides sitting on the futon. Ikuko had to be sure her daughter remained productive and punctual in the morning

The timid blonde knew this obsessive pattern would eventually led to an impossible demand that she had fulfill. Yesterday, it was to return home in fifteen minutes after school ended for the day. The day before that was to get a hundred percent on a Math quiz when Usagi had spent most of her time finishing a project for Home Economics.

"You should really consider signing up for night classes. I heard that Crystal Seminar will be almost done with its construction and there is limited room for students to sign up for the program. If your father can graduate from Tokyo University with a degree in journalism, then you can as well. Just in a more...beneficial career field." Usagi ignored her mother as she pulled on the Juuban Municipal Junior High School uniform and neatly folded the futon in quarters. There was no way she would be signing up for cram school just to please this woman. Before the silent adolescent had gone to bed last night, Tsukino Kenji discreetly reminded his daughter that she was scheduled to attend a group therapy session the following afternoon once classes were done for the day. Usagi could not cancel the appointment without his parental consent, but there were times that the petite schoolgirl wished she had not agreed to these sessions.

For the last three years since she advanced to another tier of the Japanese education system, Usagi had been an introverted student who always went straight home as soon as possible or confined herself in the library for a few hours to review notes. The tiny teenager did not make an effort to talk to a single person in her homeroom class unless the teacher asked Usagi to solve a comprehension problem on the chalkboard.

Once she had finished pinning her wheat-colored tresses to a distinctive hair style, Usagi picked up a black book bag off her desk and swiveled around to leave the room. Navy-colored orbs widened in surprise when they came in contact with inquisitive aquamarine. Why was her mother still here? Porcelain fingers slice the air with precision as she blinked owlishly at her mother. _What is wrong? Have I forgotten to do something? _

Ikuko pursed her lips and closely examined Usagi's appearance. There was not a thing out of place. There was nothing to complain about. And judging from the hands on the clock, her daughter would arrive at school just in time to study for the pop quiz in homeroom.

"No, it's nothing."

"..."

"Grab something to eat before you go, okay? I'm going to wake up Shingo."

"..."

The lavender-haired homemaker shook her head in exasperation at the silent answer she received and left Usagi alone in the bone-white bedroom. The blonde teenager flinched when she heard her mother wake her mischievous little brother in an abrasive tone. Even though Shingo was still in elementary school, the matriarch of the family had already begun to monitor his academic progress with an iron spatula.

At least he knew better than to not rebel against their mother's decisions after she had almost bruised his wrist when he came home with average grades on his report card.

Usagi quietly toddled down the staircase and briefly glanced at the kitchen before immediately heading to the door. Despite the fact that she had been asked to have some breakfast, she did not want to stay in the house any longer than needed. Today was no exception. Once a pair of onyx loafers were strapped over sock-covered feet, the azure-eyed adolescent grabbed her belongings and darted from the Tsukino residence.

Just before her mind could ponder any further on review questions that might appear on the English test, Usagi lost her balance and fell. The petite girl released a silent cry as porcelain knees made contact with the ground. _Ouch! Did I...step on_ _something? _That was odd, since she had always watched where she was going and a trip to the hospital was the last place she needed to be on a school day. Not to mention the doctors disliked the fact that Usagi refused to speak about her injuries and concluded that she had a developmental problem.

Every single time.

Usagi craned her attention back in the direction she had been running from to determine what caused her to trip. But instead of expecting to see a rock, the introverted student saw an inky mass of fur trying to stand on its paws. _A...a cat? _Cornflower blue orbs widened in concern and gently hoisted the small creature in the air.

She flinched as the hissing animal began to squirm in her grasp but continued to inspect it for any obvious injuries. _Huh? Why are there band-aids on the kitty's forehead? Did some of the neighborhood kids put them there as a practical joke? Well...I guess I wouldn't be happy to have bandages on my head if I were a kitty. The library isn't going to be open for another twenty minutes, so I can at least take them before studying for the exam. _Usagi thought as she tentatively stretched a hand and carefully peeled off the sticky appendage.

A relieved smile stretched across her mouth before she placed the feline on the sidewalk, choosing to ignore the crescent-shaped bald spot on its furry forehead. _There we go__! Take care of yourself and be a good kitty, okay? _The fair-haired teenager waved farewell and continued jogging to school, elated that she had been able to do something right for once.

xMx

Greviously, any trace of the happiness Usagi had felt that morning dissipated when she received the pop quiz back from Haruna-sensei. A ninety percent. Even after spending an hour-and-half reviewing in the library she still could not achieve a hundred. The Tsukino matriarch was definitely going to punish her once she returned home from the group therapy session. Usagi's head hung low as she left the school grounds and tightened her grip on the black book bag. If the misanthropic intellectual told her mother that she was distraught about the test score and studied at the public library to see what she had wrong on the pop quiz, then there would be a slim chance that Ikuko will do something irrational.

Tsukino Kenji was going through a lot trouble to set up these appointments so that his teenage daughter could get out of her self-imposed shell. But was it worth risking the undeniable anger from his dominating spouse? He seemed to think so. On the other hand, communicating with a group of people who had the same social skill problems made made Usagi's stomach twist in distress. It was hard enough to get through classes because the room capacity was well over thirty students. _Maybe I should have just stuck with individual therapy. _The petite blonde mulled as she walked passed the various shops in Juuban Shopping Plaza.

Lost in her thoughts and the folded English test in her skirt pocket, she did not watch where she was walking and bumped into someone. Cobalt-colored irises widened in horror and looked up. Standing in front of the silent student was an ebony-haired man dressed in a tuxedo and...sunglasses? _W-Who would wear such an outfit in the public, especially in this weather? _Usagi contemplated as she hastily placed her bag on the sidewalk and apologized to him in the best way she knew how.

Sign language.

_I am sorry. I did not mean to bump into you._

The stoic stranger raised an eyebrow as he stared at this small girl with flushed cheeks, her gaze averted to the floor as she maneuvered her hands in an unusual manner. Blue eyes blinked behind the opaque shades and soon realized that the movements were part of Japanese Sign Language, otherwise known as JSL. But he had no idea what she was telling him. _Is she mute? _He released a small laugh and bowed to her in apology. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're trying to say."

Usagi jumped at the sound of the stranger's voice and hesitantly made eye contact with him. If it was possible her face turned a darker shade of magenta when she realized the mistake she had just made. There were very people outside of the group therapy sessions who understood sign language. _Of course_ this man wouldn't understand what she was saying! Pulling out a bunny-shaped notebook and ballpoint pen from her skirt pocket the embarrassed adolescent scribbled down the words she was trying to say, followed by three words underneath the sentence.

**I CAN'T TALK.**

The young man nodded and slid his tinted lenses down the brig of his nose and closely examined the girl in front of him. "Ah, that's better." His smile widened at her rushed antics. "It's okay. I wasn't paying much attention either. There's no need for you to apologize. He watched with fascination as the girl's reddened complexion reached to her ears before she shook her head and wrote on the notebook before showing him another set of words.

**It is my fault. I should have watched where I was going.**

"Honestly, think nothing of it." The enigmatic stranger extended a hand towards the girl, his grin refusing to falter. "By the way, I'm Mamoru Chiba. What's your name?"

The petite misanthrope blinked at his hand with a hesitant expression dancing in her wide cornflower blue eyes until they averted to the shopping plaza clock. O_h, no! I'm gonna be late for the session unless I take a short cut through the Fauchon shop and the crafts store that just opened! _Bowing quickly to the well-dressed stranger Usagi grabbed her school bag and began to run at a blinding speed, oblivious that the quiz had fallen out of her skirt pocket.

xMx

Seventeen-year-old Chiba Mamoru blinked at the retreating girl for a moment before he pulled back his outstretched palm and ran it through ebony tresses. If he had known she was running in that particular direction, he would have gladly tried to persuade her to walk with him. He had promised Iyo Kaoruko-_san_ that he would be at the community center today to help maintain order at her weekly session for troubled adolescents. But just as he was about to begin the trek to his destination, a piece of paper on the concrete caught his cobalt-blue gaze.

It wasn't there earlier.

Leaning down he picked it up, Mamoru discovered that the sheet was an English exam with '90' written in red marker. His eyes widened slightly as he quickly deduced that this belonged to the small girl he had bumped into moments ago. She wasn't like anyone he had ever met before. He had mutual female friends at school but they were loud, self-centered and brash. But this blond enigma was the complete opposite: coy and quiet. Even though she could not say a single word to him, the emotions on her face were rich and honest.

Until today, he had not met a person who could be utterly embarrassed about accidentally running into someone. Laughing softly at the memory of her flushed face Mamoru turned his attention to the crumbled paper and saw a name neatly written in the top left-hand corner. **_Tsukino Usagi_**.

_Usagi? How cute_.

Gingerly placing the sheet in his coat pocket the dark-haired youth began to saunter the bustling street, whistling softly to himself. Twenty minutes later Mamoru arrived at the community center and braced himself for an hour of work as he gave the bored receptionist a professional smile, scribbling his name on the sign-in sheet before he walked down the hallway until he arrived at the last room on the right. In all honesty, Mamoru would rather still be roaming around the shopping plaza for Usagi than be here talking to troubled teenagers. But when he swung the door open his smile only lasted a second before navy-blue orbs widened to the size of dinner plates.

There she was. Tsukino Usagi. Right there, sitting demurely next to Kaoruko-san_. __W-What? Why is she here?!_

The radical change in his expression went unnoticed by the brown-haired woman for a few minutes until she looked up from the session agenda and rose from her place in the circle of folded chairs to greet her friend. "Everyone, this is Chiba Mamoru. He is visiting as a guest speaker so please be courteous to him as you would to anyone else here, returning or new member of this group. Tsukino-san? Is there something wrong?"

Usagi's small frame stiffened when the therapist's melodic voice echoed in the room, drawing unwanted attention from the seventeen teenagers to a trembling girl with a distinctive hairstyle. The misanthropic middle school student shook her head as she pulled out the bunny-shaped notebook and scribbled on it before holding up a response so that Kaoruko-sensei could see.

**NOT AT ALL! **

A wide grin stretched across Mamoru's mouth at the three little words Usagi had written down. _Liar. _


	2. Chapter 2

With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of **Sailor Moon**. I would like to once again thank _ncisduckie_ for helping me sketch out the next installment for this series. I hope everyone will enjoy the second chapter of _Moonrise_!

* * *

Once he had sat down in a plastic chair adjacent to Kaoruko-_san_, Mamoru watched the members of the circle go through introductions not only for his sake but for the two new arrivals. The gathering seemed larger than what it was when the twenty-five-year old therapist had first started these group sessions with Mamoru as her main patient. When the room fell in an awkward silence again, his dark blue eyes settle on Usagi who began to tremble like a leaf upon standing up from her seat. The misanthropic school girl scanned the room as she picked up her pen and notebook with quivering fingers. _Why is she so nervous? _

A few minutes later, Usagi held up her notebook so that everyone in the circle could see the words she had written down. _My name is Usagi Tsukino, and I have trouble talking to people. It's a pleasure to meet all of you._

_But she shouldn't be like this._ Mamoru's lips pursed together into a small frown as he watched Usagi bow to the other members and quickly sit back down, ignoring the next person who introduced themselves as Aino Minako. _Shyness this bad comes only from…_

"Mamoru-_san_? It's your turn."

Dark blue orbs widened slightly in surprise when he heard his name being called and introduced himself to the group. "My name is Chiba Mamoru. I'm an old friend of Kaoruko-_sensei_. Pleased to meet you." The young man murmured before he sat down in his seat. Once the introductions were completed, the therapist commenced the therapy session with small activities in three-person teams. As he continued to watch everything from his seat, Mamoru could not keep his eyes off Usagi.

Everything she did was premeditated. No movement could be made without at least taking a minute to think about it, causing delayed reactions. Not to say she was the only one having trouble with the activities but she certainly was the only one to captivate him. Since leaving therapy sessions Mamoru had promised to make sure nobody else would have to feel the same pain he did. Seeing this girl who appears to be worse off than he was caused his heart to thrum wildly in his chest.

Knowing he has to speak about his experiences in a few minutes makes his nerves worse. The only thing he really wants to do is speak to Usagi alone. This time without bumping into her.

As the activity begins to slow Kaoruko reassembled the adolescents back into the circle. No doubt she was pleased at the progress of her patients but Mamoru can tell they all look a bit worse for wear. This group setting is bringing them out of their shells whether they like it or not-and many seem displeased despite having signed themselves up for the sessions. A small smile plays at the corner of Mamoru's lips. He definitely understood how these people felt. Group therapy when he was younger certainly took a hit on him but there is never a day now when he regrets it.

Once the circle had been completed, Kaoruko proceeded to talk about inner strength and the importance of social interaction as many of the patients listened to the therapist in rapt attention. It was if her words were sacred. But when she finished her speech, the robust woman raised a palm and motioned to the young man in his seat. "And this is why I had Mamoru-_san_ here today. He has a story he would like to share with you about his past and his own troubles."

Realizing it was now his turn to share his story with these troubled adolescents, the dark-haired teenager inhaled a deep breath before he spoke in a soft voice.

"…On my sixth birthday, I lost both of my parents in a car accident. The doctor said I was lucky enough to survive the crash but…I felt responsible for their deaths because I had asked them to go on a ride for my birthday. For years I had to be reminded that an accident like that could happen to anyone." Mamoru answered slowly, careful to leave out that he had begun to question his identity shortly after he was released from the hospital.

But on top of everything else, a girl who haunted his subconscious with a tearful request to find the Legendary Silver Crystal.

"After speaking with Kaoruko-_sensei_ for many years, I finally allowed myself to step out of this bubble I put up around myself to stop me from hurting others. Now-I'm just your average guy. I know the accident was not my fault and I know I'm not going to hurt anyone by just being with them." The stoic high school student murmured before he briefly glanced at Usagi, whose pink cheeks turned a dark shade of red when their eyes met and turned her head to the side in embarrassment.

Bright green orbs blinked owlishly Mamoru and the golden-haired adolescent before she addressed the group with a small smile. "Well everyone, that's it for the day. I know it took a lot of courage to come here today but this is the first milestone in the healing process. Our next meeting is written on the pamphlets that were handed out earlier. I hope to you see then."

Once those words had spilled from Kaoruko's mouth, the circle shattered as these students drifted into different directions: the exit or to ask the therapist a few questions. The guest speaker barely managed to stop Usagi from skittering to the double doors when he called out to her in a soft voice, though loud enough for the adolescent to hear him. Wide cornfield orbs gazed up at him before the young schoolgirl took out her notebook and pen. A few minutes later Mamoru saw what she had written down.

_Is there something you need, Mamoru-san?_

Mamoru smiled as he re-read the sentence and answered Usagi's question with a quick nod. "Actually, I had something to ask you." The tuxedo-clad youth felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest as he waited for the golden-haired stranger. His question could be considered far too personal and she could end up running from him. If that happened, then he would never be able to know anything about her. He watched Usagi tremble slightly as she moved her bunny-shaped pen across the lined paper again and showed him what she wrote.

_What is it that you wanted to ask me?_

Snow-white fingers tugged at his shirt collar as Mamoru cleared his throat, a faint pink hue dusting his cheeks. It might have been better if he wait to ask this girl such personal questions until he had the opportunity to get to know her better. That is, _if_ he was able to get to know Tsukino Usagi better. _  
_

"I-uhh. You know what, it's not a question. Just a statement." Usagi blinked at the stuttering teenager as she waited patiently for him to continue his speech, only to have Mamoru silently curse in his head at how foolish he must look right now. _Even if I said it out loud, I'll still sound like a creep!_ He inhaled a deep breath and allowed himself to stare deeply at the schoolgirl. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, just call me. Kaoruko-sensei has my number."

Before he could another fraction of his wit to a stranger that managed to ensnare his absolute attention, Mamoru turned around and scampered to the exit. However, the flustered youth could reach the doorknob he felt his coat sleeve being timidly tugged on. He looked over his shoulder to see Usagi holding up her notebook in front of her face so he could clearly see two little words that had a profound impact on the aloof teenager.

_ Thank you._

"N-No problem."

She offered Mamoru a small smile before she also turned on the ball of her heel and walked towards the doors as she gently cradled a black schoolbag to her chest. But he just stood there in the community center auditorium, watching her receding figure with a dumb smile plastered on his face.

xMx

Usagi ran through the hustling avenue of the shopping district with a fearful expression stretched across her mouth and bright red cheeks. Why in the world did she go through all that trouble to express gratitude for a person she had just met today? It didn't make any sense!

_And...it doesn't help how I can explain to Mama that I didn't get a good score on the English exam or where I've been for an hour and a half since classes ended._ The wheat-haired adolescent thought as she tightened her grip on the black book bag. _Unless...unless I could tell her that I was looking at a cram school to go to! Which one was it that she talked about this morning? The Crystal Seminar? Yes, that was the one. If I told Mama that out of the facilities in the area, that one looked the most promising? Yeah that could be a logical excuse but what I show to prove I had looked at seminars? Collect fliers from the places she had mentioned this week? _Usagi turned around and looked at the clock hanging above a jewelry store called OSA-P.

_I don't have much time to talk to all the school administrators, but this is the only way to make sure Mama doesn't find out about the therapy sessions! _Not wanting to waste another minute the teenager darted back in the direction she had come from to investigate as many school as she could within the allotted time frame. A half an hour later Usagi had arrived at the Tsukino residence with several fliers in her hands.

The hardest part about looking at those seminars was trying to explain her inability to speak. However, it turned out that the Crystal Seminar was the only place that did not pester the flustered schoolgirl for more information other than what was written on the program application. _I might have come home late but Mama should be happy that I took the initiative to look at cram schools...I hope. _The misanthropic child thought as she slid off her loafers and placed them by the doormat.

"Welcome back, Usagi."

The junior high school student stiffened at the icy undertone behind the warm greeting and looked up to see her mother standing a few feet away holding a spatula. Usagi greeted the lavender-haired matriarch with a curt nod before the introverted adolescent handed Ikuko the crumpled fliers. Aquamarine orbs glanced over the advertisement for the Crystal Seminar and hummed in approval, pleased that her oldest child had finally started to look at seminars. But something about Usagi's behavior was a little...different than it was earlier this morning.

"You're a little late coming home." The homemaker commented as she watched Usagi pulled out a dark blue composition notebook and scribbled on it for a few second until the blonde-haired girl showed what she had written down.

_It took me a long time to talk to someone at Crystal Seminar because there are so many people trying to sign up for it at a discount rate since the intial tuition is very expensive. It was the same thing for the other cram schools I had visited._

When Usagi reverted back to simply writing down what she was trying to say instead of signing them, it meant something was wrong and made her nervous. "What happened to the English quiz today? I bumped into Umino-_san_ on the way home from the market and he said you got them back before the class was dismissed to go to first period." The wavy-haired woman asked softly though there was a subtle threat laced in her voice. Cobalt-blue orbs widened in shock at the words that echoed in the silent hallway before the teenager's small frame began tremble like a leaf.

Despite the fact that her daughter has tried to make herself scarce during school hours, Ikuko had always made sure to remain informed on what happened in homeroom by communicating with classmates Umino Gurio or Osaka Naru, whose parents had she shared a close friendship with even though their children hardly spoke to each other.

Realizing that there was nothing she could do at this point Usagi began write again, though this time the bunny-shaped pen was quivering against the lined paper. A few minutes later the Tsukino matriarch received an answer.

_I got a 90 percent on the English exam. _

A heavy silence fell upon the room until the middle-aged homemaker firmly addressed her daughter in a disappointed voice. "...I want you to go to the library and look over what you had gotten wrong on that test. I don't want something like this to happen again. Do you understand?" Usagi blinked owlishly at her mother before manuvering snow-white fingers across the empty space between them.

_Yes._

The introverted intellect bit back a small sob as she walked towards the door and silently opened it after slipping the onyx loafers back onto her tired feet. _I'm really sorry, Mama. I did my best on that test. I really did. _Once Usagi had stepped outside she heard the door close with a loud 'slam' followed by a 'click', signaling that her mother had kicked her out of the house again until she stayed at the library for an hour to study to find out what she did wrong on the pop quiz. After she inhaled a few deep breaths to calm her frazzled nerves, Usagi sprinted away from the Tsukino residence and down the dimly-lit sidewalk in search of a public library that would still open at six o'clock at night.

_I have to study and see went wrong on the exam. I have to...or else Shingo will have no one to protect him from Mama! _Her_ eyes _narrowed in determination at the thought as the silent schoolgirl ran even faster, completely unaware that she was being closely followed by a black cat with a crescent-shaped bald spot on its forehead.

* * *

I would like to thank _ncisduckie_, _TAstars_, _LoveInTheBattlefield_, _Momochan77_, _LuNaHwAnNa_, _SailorMoon489_, _peaches252_, _SmileRen_, _Ern Estine 13624_, _Puffgirl1952_, _GraphicsChyk_, _raspberry cake_, and _Tropical Remix _for taking the time to read and review the last chapter! I truly appreciate the feedback and thoughts you have sent me. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this segment of_Moonrise_.


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